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About the Los Angeles Auto Show

The pseudo-convertible, with its sliding cloth roof, receives the 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo engine from its hatchback stablemate, with 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque.

That similarity also means the same front and rear bodywork on both models and Abarth scripting on the side. Inside, the 500c Abarth receives the same upright, aggressively bolstered sport seats as its cousin, rendered in Nero leather with Rosso stitching. That's black and red, for all you Italian 101 dropouts. The sport steering wheel carries over, as well as the 160-mph speedometer that can best be described as wildly optimistic. The spoiler on the roof does slide back with the top.

The cloth roof retracts all the way to the spoiler at up to 60 mph, all the better to hear that wild exhaust. If that gets too old, the Fiat 500c Abarth comes with a six-speaker Beats by Dr. Dre sound system.

Fiat has given the 500c Abarth the same MacPherson front suspension and Koni struts with 33-percent stiffer springs and 0.6-inch lower ride height from the hatchback. Also carried over are the five-speed manual transmission, bigger brakes, 16-inch aluminum wheels and Pirelli Cinturato tires.

Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but the 500c starts $3,500 above the regular 500's base price of $16,000. Using that as a guide, it's safe to say that when the 500c Abarth arrives in early 2013, it will start at around $25,500.

The 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show takes place Nov. 28 through Dec. 9. In keeping with the Southern California lifestyle, the LA auto show is usually a showcase for green cars, hybrid vehicles and electric transportation. But sports cars - especially convertibles - also command the spotlight. Check out Autoweek's complete coverage of the Los Angeles Auto Show here.